IFT - Infratil

[Harvey Specter]

So, IFT has announced a transition to electric buses, innovative technology for passenger transport, first delivery mid 2016. So this has obviously been quietly progressing for quite some time. I wonder if that would have made a difference to the outcome of the South Auckland bus tender project.

Cost will be the interesting thing. Would wellington council be willing to pay more to maintain an electric fleet.

I dont beleive Electric was even a factor in the Auckland tenders so unless it provided a cheaper option, wouldn't have made a difference. Could be more of a factor that spend lots of time in the CBD though like the Link buses as thats where fumes are the biggest issue.

[Kelvin]

Seems like Greater Wellington is keen for an electric/hybrid fleet (especially with the trolley buses getting scrapped) so this could help NZ Bus win contracts.

[mikeybycrikey]

After careful reading of the announcement, it looks like the buses aren't actually electric. Although it is worded in a slightly odd way so it's unclear exactly what they are proposing.

As far as I can tell, the buses are powered with electric motors where the electricity is produced by a gas-turbine engine onboard the bus. It's unclear (despite the claim that 82% of NZ power is renewable) whether the buses will make any use of the power grid or if the onboard gas-turbine engine will produce all of the electricity used for propulsion.

It's a good way of using the trolley bus bodies that will become useless with the trolley bus wires in Wellington being removed but there seems to be a strong smell of green-wash with this announcement.

[King1212]

$3.20-$3.25 hopefully

Couta1, did u pick up at 3.25?

[Harvey Specter]

After careful reading of the announcement, it looks like the buses aren't actually electric. Although it is worded in a slightly odd way so it's unclear exactly what they are proposing.

As far as I can tell, the buses are powered with electric motors where the electricity is produced by a gas-turbine engine onboard the bus. It's unclear (despite the claim that 82% of NZ power is renewable) whether the buses will make any use of the power grid or if the onboard gas-turbine engine will produce all of the electricity used for propulsion.

It's a good way of using the trolley bus bodies that will become useless with the trolley bus wires in Wellington being removed but there seems to be a strong smell of green-wash with this announcement.

Yes - very unclear whether there will be any charging infrastructure. My understanding of that type of system is the batteries are very small (like a pirus) so not much point charging them from a power point. You get the benefits of electric drive motors (few moving parts) and the generator can be optimised to charge the batteries at the engines most efficient point and does not need to be running when crawling through traffic.

[Zaphod]

After careful reading of the announcement, it looks like the buses aren't actually electric. Although it is worded in a slightly odd way so it's unclear exactly what they are proposing.

As far as I can tell, the buses are powered with electric motors where the electricity is produced by a gas-turbine engine onboard the bus. It's unclear (despite the claim that 82% of NZ power is renewable) whether the buses will make any use of the power grid or if the onboard gas-turbine engine will produce all of the electricity used for propulsion.

It's a good way of using the trolley bus bodies that will become useless with the trolley bus wires in Wellington being removed but there seems to be a strong smell of green-wash with this announcement.

You're right - not enough clear detail in the article to be useful!

NZ Bus face a real dilemma; do they purchase brand-new hybrid diesel-electric buses at a premium, and bank on the fact that they will be allowed to use these vehicles for their entire useful life (20-25 years), or do they repower the existing trolleybuses as an interim measure? Either way this is quite a capital intensive exercise.

The proposed timeline for the GWRC tender means NZ Bus could end up investing capital into new equipment in 2016 ready for the 2017 trollybus decommissioning, but not win the tender and be forced to dispose of the equipment by the Jan 2018 contract implementation date.

[Harvey Specter]

You're right - not enough clear detail in the article to be useful!

NZ Bus face a real dilemma; do they purchase brand-new hybrid diesel-electric buses at a premium, and bank on the fact that they will be allowed to use these vehicles for their entire useful life (20-25 years), or do they repower the existing trolleybuses as an interim measure? Either way this is quite a capital intensive exercise.

The proposed timeline for the GWRC tender means NZ Bus could end up investing capital into new equipment in 2016 ready for the 2017 trollybus decommissioning, but not win the tender and be forced to dispose of the equipment by the Jan 2018 contract implementation date.

I thought it has updated the trolley buses recently (ie. internal refit) which would explain why they are going for a drive train refit rather than a brand new option. Not a Welly person so cant confirm.

[Lewylewylewy]

Trolley buses are still running as far as I can see. Personally I'm not excited about this part of the business. I would have done the upgrade upon attaining the new, renewed contract if it were up to me.

[Harvey Specter]

Trolley buses are still running as far as I can see. Personally I'm not excited about this part of the business. I would have done the upgrade upon attaining the new, renewed contract if it were up to me.

The lines are getting ripped out. Look at the press release and they meantion being able to use the refitted buses anywhere - so if they lose the Welly contract, they can move the to Auckland (assuming they win some there).

[macduffy]

The lines are getting ripped out. Look at the press release and they meantion being able to use the refitted buses anywhere - so if they lose the Welly contract, they can move the to Auckland (assuming they win some there).

Or, on other Wgtn routes. Trolley wires don't cover the entire Wgtn network.